A Bushel and a Peck  I Love You
by brendabond
Summary: Blood does not always a father make - sometimes love doesn't even cover it.  Six cases of how a father/daughter relationship is born. Kiraban prize for eelgirl
1. Not Really Alone

**Not Really Alone  
****Starrk & Lilynette**

This memory is as clear to me as the moon over Hueco Mundo. I couldn't forget the day Lilynette came into my life. You might not understand that. Some days, even I don't understand how a part of me could work to complete me, but it is the truth. You see, Lilynette is special to me, for more than one reason.

When I was sitting there on the plain, I was perfectly alone. I crawled out of the mindless killing and eating of the lesser hollows, and basked in my loneliness. I was not part of the throng, I wasn't hunting and being hunted, I had finally risen high above such petty concerns. I didn't know it then, but the power I collected, the enemies I destroyed, and added to my being would become my Achilles heel.

When the first Adjuchas class hollow died near the depression I lived in, I was not that upset over it. He'd probably come to try to kill me. There is no reason to regret accidentally killing what amounts to a murderer. However, I had not done anything to make him dead, he just came within ten paces, and he fell.

More hollows began to seek me out. At first, it was interesting to see how close they could come. My fame grew with each new death. Whispers of my fighting skill and pure power were becoming stories used to frighten other hollows with. Soon, there was a mound outside my figurative doorstep, and I was no longer happy in my loneliness. I was bored, alone, and growing restless.

That was until the day I realized that if I could eat other hollows to gain their powers and essence, then I should be able to break off shards of my own soul. It was such a revolutionary thought, I am sure I am the only one who ever, even down to this day, thought of it. I tried for days. 'Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration,' as the saying goes, and it was true. Making Lilynette was harder than I ever thought.

When she finally came, she flowed out like a fog from a valley. I was quite astounded by her. I am male, and I had thought that I would make something more like myself, but there she was. Whole, perfect, and able to be with me. The companion I had begun to long for, and there she was. I would not complain.

"You got a name?"

"Lilynette," my other said, "How 'bout you, huh? Considering you came outta me…"

I was surprised, "Starrk."

"Well, Starrk, what do we do now?"

I paused to consider, whatever we feel like."

"Okay…," she turned her pretty pink eyes on me, "Where should we go?"

"Anywhere." The answer was immediate and felt right, "And we'll go there together." She turned her smile on me, and I was taken with this other me, my beautiful Lilynette, "'Till the end of time."

Thus went our first conversation, we had many more. Everywhere we went, more hollows died, but I didn't care, I had her now, and she had me. We were strong enough to be together. We traveled seemingly everywhere, looking for others stalwart enough to be with us, but we found none. That's when I started to sleep. It was a way of overcoming the long stretches of inactivity and sameness. Lilynette learned how to wake me up, to keep me going in spite of myself. When Aizen-sama came to us, offering friendship and a place to belong, I took his proposition for her sake.

Our relationship is special. When I look on her now, fighting with that white haired captain, I can't help but smile. There's my little girl, all grown up. We found our friends, and we're going to die for them. That's all I could have ever wanted. For both of us.

**

* * *

AN/** I'd like to thank Hasty for betaing this for me. You guys should go check out her work, it's fantastic! The dialogue I lifted from the manga, everything else is conjecture. They have a great relationship, for all that she was already just a small part of himself.


	2. Dummy

**Dummy**

**Kensei & Mashiro**

There was a time, not so long ago as we reckon time, that Mashiro was _not_ the loud, overbearing, completely annoying freak show that she is now. Yeah, that's kinda hard to believe isn't it? Well, sit back, and let me tell you a tale. The story of how I met Mashiro, and lived to tell about it. It all started as I was in my last year of the academy, and Mashiro was a new foundling.

"Muguruma-kun, thank you for coming in."

I snapped to my full height, and looked the dean in the eye, "Of course, sir."

The dean smiled, it was a lovely one, her rosy lips curving to show a perfect row of pearly teeth. The dark green eyes framed in all that lush black hair did not hurt anything except my attention span. I found my eyes wandering when she spoke again, "We have a new student, and she's got such a high reiatsu that I wanted to get her started as soon as possible, especially since the term just started." Her red painted nail pressed a button. In moments, her assistant bustled a young woman into the office. She gestured at the girl now standing just behind me to the right, "This is Kuna Mashiro. Mashiro-san, this is Muguruma Kensei, and he will be your mentor for a week to get you caught up to the other new students." She flashed another smile at the girl who nodded without saying a word. "I will allow you two to work out a schedule. Thank you very much, you're dismissed."

We both left the office; Mashiro was behind me like an obedient puppy. I paused in the waiting room, and got a look at my new project. Mashiro was pretty enough, her brown doe eyes, softly curling lime colored hair, and smoking body, even under a shihakusho - made me smile at her. "Welcome to the Spirit Academy, Kuna-san. Like Dean Kuchiki said, I am Muguruma Kensei, and I will be showing you around and tutoring you, if you need it to help you be caught up with your class. I'm a sixth year." I smirked, smiles I don't seem to be so good at.

"Hai," she glanced up just for the split second it took to speak, and her gaze went right back to the floor.

My smirk changed to a scowl, "If you don't mid, what district are you from?" Some women were so mistreated in the outer districts the only way to make it out relatively unhurt was to be as unnoticeable as possible. I was willing to lay money on her being from one of those.

"Uh," she started, her voice a whisper, "I'm from the north alley of wandering spirits." This time her head didn't even move.

"Oh, what's that, like sixty-something?" She nodded. Riiiight. "Well, Kuna-san you're in the Seireitei now, and everyone here would really appreciate it if you would speak up just a little?"

"All right," her eyes flicked back up then down. Well, there was only so much I could do for her.

I just shook my head, "Come on, let's go get your schedule, and then we can get to work."

We did just that. Like all first years, she had beginning kido and swordsmanship classes. Her scores in academic studies had been low, but I wasn't surprised, since she was from such a low district. We had our work cut out for us. Double the amount in some ways, if she refused to raise her eyes to me. I needed to prod her out of her shell.

Looking at her schedule and the time, I saw she should have been in her kendo class. A real smile curved my mouth as I turned to her, "Let's go to your first class."

She followed me, as I knew she would, and we walked in on the class already in full swing. I showed the instructor her schedule, and explained I would be mentoring her for a little while, and we set to work. There is no way you can keep your eyes down when practicing with a sword, even the wooden one she now held awkwardly in her hand.

"Let's see if you know anything about defense at all. Come at me." I held my practice sword out in front, steady in my two hands. She copied the form, and then glanced up before mincing forward a little and swinging hers in a totally ineffectual way. She didn't even make contact with my completely stationary blade.

"Oh, wow." I couldn't stop the snort of laughter; that was simply amazing. "Look," I said trying vainly to stuff the laughter down, "You're going to have to look at me." Her head came up, and there was a twist of either anger or unhappiness on her mouth. Either way, it was better than blank face. "Great," I grinned at her, "You're holding the hilt good, but you should tighten up your wrists…" I gave her some basic instructions for a few minutes, and had her practicing sheathing the sword for the rest of the class. She was quick minded, and I had a feeling that if she ever got over the stifling shyness, she'd be formidable.

And so went all her classes. I sat with the painfully quiet girl, helping her along when she needed it. Doing my own work load when she didn't. By the end of the day, I was sorely tired of pulling her around campus like a child's toy. Wearily, I walked her to the quad where her room was. The girl looked warily at the room, like it had been booby trapped in her absence.

A simple peek inside confirmed that she was a poor girl; possibly, all she had in the world was piled on the end of a bed. She gave me a weak smile and almost managed to close the door in my face. "Kuna-san, I'll be round to get you at ten to nine tomorrow for breakfast."

"Thank you." With an almost unnoticeable sigh, she closed the door.

"Yeah, you're welcome," I muttered under my breath as I turned to walk away. That's when I heard it. A sweet girly voice came through the door. I immediately damped my reiatsu signature, and listened to her speak.

"Ohhh! Kuna-san!" A high squeaky voice I assumed was supposed to be me assaulted my brain, "I'll show you how to do the hard math problems tomorrow!" Her voice switched to a slightly more normal tone, "Why thankee Ken-chan. I'm such a dummy."

I put my hand on the door. Had I been treating her like a dummy, as she put it? I was just trying to go easy on her. She didn't say anything, not one word to let me know that she already knew how to do the work the other students were doing. I was tempted, sorely, to bust in and demand an explanation. But that could wait. Until tomorrow, first thing in the morning when I would tell her what I heard.

When I woke the next morning, I was full of the resolve to tell the girl that she'd better shape up, and act right. I hurried to her dorm, and opened the door with a perfunctory knock. That was my first mistake. The second was to stare like a star-struck kid. Mashiro was not ready for breakfast yet. That's the nicest way to say it.

"You perv! I hope you enjoyed the show!" She delivered her words in a screech that barely preceded a kick to the stomach. I was on the ground, gasping for breath, and trying to regain my feet when she pounced on me like a wild cat, and started punching. Her naked breasts danced above me, and I was literally scared to death. Either she was going to kill me, or my nosebleed would prove fatal.

This was no time to let myself be emasculated. So, with a push and a very manly roar, I flipped her onto her back, and straddled her hips. "Listen here! I told you to be ready at ten to nine! And don't you dare whisper when you speak to me, I know better! And don't you dare use squeaky voice when making fun of me, do you hear me? You're so damned annoying!"

She laughed. Great belly roars that filled her room with joyous sound. I looked down at our ridiculous positions and joined in. How could I not? "Okay, Ken-tan," she said in a strangely sing-song voice, "ya great big dummy."

So that's it. After that, she proved that she not only knew a great deal more than she'd let on, but had to be moved to several advanced classes. We remained friends for the rest of the time I was in the academy, and even for all the years it took for me to rise to captain. She was always _annoying_, that seemed to be the price of burying that shy girl. Even so, I nominated her for my vice-captain, and she agreed. There have been many times I would have gladly killed her - or killed for her. For better or worse, she'll always be my friend, and the daughter I never had.

AN/ A great big shout out to Hasty for being my beta on this project. She had pointed out that the names as spelt in my story may have different spellings. Be that as it may, I use the Bleach Wiki for name spellings. So, I apologize if you didn't like how I spell them. On to the meat: I laughed several times while writing this. I think that these two are far more related to a father/daughter type relation ship than lovers. So, thanks go to my kiraban winner, eel girl for asking for this story. I had a freaking fun time writing it.


	3. Antiquated Notions

**Antiquated Notions  
****Mayuri & Nemu**

I suppose he would never win the father of the year award. Kurotsuchi-taicho is an overbearing jerk on the best of days and a sadistic slave driver most of the time. He's scary, and I don't think that it's on purpose. He is a genius of the true 'mad' variety. Nevertheless, he is my taicho and his daughter is my fukutaicho. Who am I? I'm the third seat, Akon, and I've known these two for a very long time.

I was in the lab the day that Kurotsuchi decided that he wanted progeny. Almost everyone else recoiled, but I thoughtfully looked at the new gigai design I was working on and told him that I thought he could make it happen with a mod soul. He glowered at me, and remarked that he was sure that was the only way _I_ could have children. I merely shrugged, and continued working.

A few days later found me working on the same gigai. I had been trying to make it so that the soul wearing the thing wouldn't have to stuff themselves with pills to wear it long term. I am still angry to have found out that Urahara figured it out decades ago. Moving on - as I was saying, I was working in the gigai lab, when Kurotsuchi found me.

"Having any luck with that?"

I was surprised for a moment; he had told me three days ago he didn't care if every person in the Seireitei got hair loss because of the soma fixing pills. "Yes, sir, I think that if you tweak…"

"I didn't ask for a report!" he snapped and I closed my mouth. He touched the body laying on my worktable. "Do you really think that you could make a living person out of one of those?"

I nodded uncertainly, "As long as I could get a soul to modify. Although, you know that's not exactly legal anymore."

"Making an heir the usual way is just so," he paused, throwing his hands about, looking for the right word, "antiquated. I like the idea of having the perfect vessel to carry on my legacy."

Inwardly, I was grinning like a lunatic. Outwardly, I frowned, "Sir, I know what I said, but…"

Kurotsuchi ran his long fingernail over my mouth, stopping my argument, "I will get you the soul. We have some of the old Mod souls in storage. Put away against future need, you understand. I hate to scrap all of my hard work."

"It would not have a zanpakuto spirit, there's no way to manufacture that."

"Not important. They're a pain in the ass, I'm forever punishing mine, and it never learns," he said, running long fingers though the thatch of blue hair that stood in a shock on his head.

"I wouldn't know, sir." I stood still, like an antelope near a lion that might just let it live.

He ran his hands over the gigai once again, "It makes no difference, I said. I want it to be a part of me, Akon."

"Of course sir. I can use your downloaded files and build similar likes and dislikes, some personality that you may find useful. Industriousness, obedience, intelligence, things like that."

"Not a clone, yes? I don't want to have to punish myself, and I would."

He certainly would. If he caught any of us doing what he did on a near daily basis, we'd have to re-grow some organs. "No sir, not a clone. Do you have a preference on male or female?"

"Female," was his immediate reply, though his reasoning made me wince, "it would be nice to have a woman around who had some actual intelligence and a head for science."

I looked down on the gigai I had been working on; all gigai started out sexless. That is the charm of the faux body, as you stepped into it, it would match your spirit body exactly. I prodded it with a smile. It wouldn't take long to make it female. Some fat here…oh you don't need that part; let's get on to the day I finished with Nemu.

It had taken slightly more than a month to get everything ready. I grew all of her internal organs, built stores inside her body that Kurotsuchi could use if he needed or wanted to, and made her the perfect woman in my eyes. She would be just a little shorter than her father. I made her eyes a deep forest green, a little fantasy of mine. Kurotsuchi insisted on black hair, but I made it with plum undertones. She was in all respects perfect.

That was until I uploaded the personality markers and instincts that her 'father' had insisted on. Secretly, I added some human decency to the mix, since Kurotsuchi did not have any. She could be kind, if the situation called for it. She would tear you apart on her father's orders. She was made to be obedient to him, with many layers of fail safes built in to insure her loyalty.

Kurotsuchi checked my work on her neural paths, and the program I had built that would turn this cobbled gigai and mod soul into a thinking being. Finding it to be 'acceptable' the scientist began the process that would bring life to the body. The blood synthesized from Kurotsuchi's own body was being warmed and pumped into her waiting body. Her oh-so-pale skin began to flush with blood.

A simple external pacemaker started her heart and kept it beating in lieu of the brain's as yet missing signals. As soon as that was complete, I turned on her respirator, and soon her chest was raising and falling in a good approximation of life. I gave the 'go ahead' signal to Kurotsuchi, and he started the transfer. All of my meticulous work to even come close to the perfection that is the brain would be put to the test.

Her empty soul was filled up with the million and one things that our bodies must regulate each day. Her personality, preferences, and the knowledge she would need to excel at almost any task put before her here in the division poured out into that blankness. I put in everything I could think of, and I tried to include a healthy curiosity, so that she'd learn about more than the confines of the lab.

"Take her off the life support," Kurotsuchi barked, "if she lives or not it's got to be up to her now."

I did as he asked, and turned back to see her gasp and shake. Her fingers clenched and loosened as her skin twitched all over. The heart monitor showed her heart beat rise and fall to finally level out. "Come on, Nemu," I cheered for the creation lying on the table, "open your eyes, girl."

"What did you call her?"

I looked at my crazy taicho, "Nemu; I talked to it in production, and the name sort-of stuck."

The man grabbed her chin, "Nemu are you? That's fine." He stroked her face tenderly and frowned, "Wake up, daughter."

When her eyes opened and they turned with a knowing gaze on her 'father', I was so happy. It had worked; all of our hard work had brought about a being. Whether she actually turned into something or not would be up to us as much as her. I had a fleeting moment of wondering if this is what it was like to be a real father. I looked at Kurotsuchi and his tender seeming gaze; I realized that life, no matter how it's made, is precious.

**

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AN/** I totally see that I made this more about Akon than Mayuri. Probably because I'm much more comfy with the horned researcher. I did try to show that Mayuri cared, and there might have been a time when he was happy with his creation. Hasty did a lovely job yet again! *bows*


	4. My Favorite Weapon

**My Favorite Weapon**  
**Kisuke & Ururu**

Jinta sidled up, his broom held tightly in his hands. He swept the dais I was sitting on, carefully avoiding the cushion and the tips of my feet. As the broom moved, the faint hiss of the bristles reminded me of the ocean. I cocked my head to listen as Jinta swept. With a suddenness that managed to surprise me, the broom stopped.

"There's something wrong with me isn't there?"

That was even more surprising, "No, Jinta, you're perfect, what's that all about?"

"You love her more than you love me."

"I just love you differently, Jinta. Let me tell you a story, okay?" The red haired boy sat at my feet and nodded solemnly. I ruffled his hair and started, "Once upon a time…"

* * *

Yoruichi stared at the component parts littering my worktable, "What are you doing down here, Kisuke?" She picked up an arm and poked its fingers at me.

"I think I can combine gigai technology, mod soul tech, and weapons research to make the ultimate weapon."

The dark skinned woman frowned at the arm she had been playing with, "This is an ultimate weapon? This arm isn't even as long as mine."

I nodded happily, and took a couple gulps of stale coffee. "Gaaah!" I wiped my mouth, "That stuff needs freshening."

"Is this," Yoruichi put the arm back down and looked at the other components, "a child's arm?"

Her eyes were wide and held an edge of disgust, "Yeah. That's what is going to make it so amazing! Imagine, a little girl with the ability to kill hollows with a single blow! She'll look just like any other girl, but she'll have powers other kids couldn't even dream of." I looked up to see that the disgust had grown, "What?"

"What do you mean, what? A little girl as an ultimate weapon? That seems wrong, and if she's got a soul, you can't just make her do whatever you want, Kisuke. You can't possibly miss Sarugaki that much."

"This isn't about _her_. No, you aren't understanding my genius, as usual. We need more fighters. I can make them. A weapon that can talk and understand, and can live and be useful for more things than just killing. Any fool can kill. This will be a weapon that can identify friend from foe. The ultimate smart bomb."

"You're right, I do not understand," she shook her wild purple hair, "I'm leaving for awhile, Kisuke."

"Fine. I'll see you when I see you."

She walked out. I had to wait for over twenty years for her to show up again. Had I known then what I know now, I would have done things differently. I should have thrown those gigai parts back into the rendering machine. But, I didn't. Instead, I let my mind take me to places I shouldn't go. You'd think I would learn my lesson someday.

I worked on the tiny body for weeks trying to get everything exactly right. Coaxing the machinery I had to work with in the Living Realm to be what I needed. I built whole programs and computer databases to hold all the knowledge this girl would need. It took months to finalize everything, and when I finally had it all ready, I had no one but Tessai to share my joy with. Let's just say he was less than enthusiastic.

He worked the healing Kido while I got her living with the most modern technology Japan had to offer at the time. When she opened those huge blue eyes and smiled, I was in love. She was precious in her seeming perfection. She sat up, and we took turns talking to her, and showing her everything she knew instinctively, but had never experienced before.

I worked with her, teaching her fighting skills at which she excelled. Tessai tried to teach her kido, but she could not master even the smallest spell. She had the reiatsu for it, of that I was certain. But, as they say, you can't have everything, so I just refused to think about it anymore. So what if she couldn't work a spell, she was a fantastic hand-to-hand combatant, and she was stronger than even I anticipated.

It only took a few weeks for me to realize that I had taken a wrong turn with her somewhere. She was almost terminally shy with anyone outside of Tessai and myself. I had tested her on a few hollows, and while she performed admirably, she came back scared to death, and remembering nothing. It's a blessing, I see that now, but then I was so disappointed. She was not the ultimate weapon. She was the ultimate failure.

It got to the point where I decided to just scrap her, start anew. I even started to put her under when she grabbed my hand and whispered, "It'll be okay, won't it, Kisuke-san?"

"Yes," I whispered. My free hand dropped away from the dial, I was setting, and I looked at my creation. Really looked, not just saw her. The way she ate rice one grain at a time when she had a favorite meal in front of her. The way she smiled so sweetly at everything. The way she had stolen my heart. "Yes, of course, everything is fine. I'm just going to do a routine check up."

I couldn't do it. Was this what Yoruichi had a problem with? Had she known somehow that Ururu would not work in the way I had anticipated? No, that wasn't it, I understood her finally. Although she was most definitely _not_ a child, she was my child. She would never again be my favorite weapon. She would only…

* * *

"…be my baby." I finished the story and Jinta's dark eyes scrutinized me.

"She's not supposed to be that way?"

"No. After I made Ururu, I took all that I had learned, and made her a brother. Someone much more stable both in personality and power level." I held up my hands, covered in swordsman's calluses and inventors burns and scars, "You're both my children, Jinta. I could no more catch the moon in a fish net than I could change how I feel about the two of you. You may not have come from my body, but in every way that counts, I am your father."

**

* * *

AN**/ Sorry for the wait, I've had some extreme family issues come up, and writing has been the very last thing on my mind. Don't worry, this has one more story, and it's already done! Thanks to my beta Hasty, who shouldn't be faulted for caring! Hey, you know, it would be awesome if you were to let us know how were' doin'.


	5. Growing Up

**Growing Up  
****Isshin & Karin/Yuzu**

I stared up at my wife's poster. I know it's silly, maybe even downright stupid to keep it up after so long, but I have gotten used to seeing her there. I like having her in the house, even if it is just her image. I almost feel like she's watching our children grow up. Kami knows its days like this one, when I most wish she were here.

Karin is first to pelt down the stairs, "You gonna stare at mom all day? We're supposed to go shopping, jii-san."

"Don't hassle tou-san, Karin. But, if we're going to catch the bus and make it out to the mall before lunch, we'd probably better leave," Yuzu's cheerful voice broke in.

Ichigo's head appeared out of the kitchen, "What're you guys going to the mall for? I could use a new…"

"Girl stuff." Karin turned her famous grumpy face on her brother, who promptly sat back at the table.

"Right, then. I can go later, I guess."

I sighed; I wished I could huddle at the kitchen table and forget that my precious little girls were growing up. Whatever Ichigo needed was sure to be far less daunting than shopping for girl stuff. Hey, don't get up in my face about it. That's how Yuzu put it to me. I just hope I don't die of mortification. "Right you are, Yuzu-chan. Come on, Karin, let's get going."

My little honeys trooped out the door and I followed them out after checking to make sure I had my wallet and keys. It's hard to live it down when your neighbors catch you using your own children to break into your house. We walked, hand in hand, the three of us talking over nothing serious to the bus stop. Taking the bus, we arrived at the mall just before lunch. Plenty of time, I hoped, to get the girl stuff, and then get some finger lickin' fast food.

I have been known to curse. Sometimes I curse silently and in great repetition and sometimes loud enough so that repetition is not necessary. This was almost one of those times. Bless my sweet Misaki; our daughters were making me go bra shopping. A big step in any girl's life. Judging by how seriously my two angels were taking their mission, if they failed at this important juncture, they would be cast out of the girl club for good. I tried not to curse.

I never handled so many bras in my lifetime as I did that afternoon. White, tan, nude - whatever that means - and seemingly every design under the sun. Tank style, sports, demi, crossover with every imaginable material. Anything from satin smooth to jersey and every decal a girl might enjoy plunked on the middle. How long, exactly, should it take two budding young women to find a first bra? I think I spent less time_ awake_ at the academy.

In the end, it was worth it. Karin only had to slug me three times before I stopped hitting on the grown women in the lingerie department. Yuzu managed to talk the salesgirl out of reporting me to the mall police. My babies managed to pick out three bras each and I paid for them and endured the pity stare from the cashier. It was a successful trip, all things considered.

After eating, and strolling the mall looking for other things for me to buy for my beautiful daughters; we got back on a bus to go home. We walked back inside and I smiled up at the poster of my wife, "Our babies aren't babies any more."

Ichigo stood behind me, "I think she knows how you feel, dad."

I glanced at my son, and nodded. He did not need to know that I said the same thing about him not too long ago.

* * *

AN/ Who doesn't Like Isshin and the twins? They're easily my favorite non-combatants. Thank you goes to eelgirl, who prompted this whole thing. A generous round of applause goes to Hasty, who very kindly agreed to beta these for me. A kind word or two would probably make all of us grin like idiots.


	6. Reaching Out

**Reaching Out**  
**Kenpachi & Yachiru**

I am absolutely sure that most of you know how Kenpachi found Yachiru. The tragic story of a sort-of anti-hero who, after a fierce battle, finds a pink haired child. A tiny thing, just able to move under her own steam. With the innocence of a child, she reached out to touch a sword. How that scarred, battle hardened, and deeply world-weary man saw a baby playing in the blood at his feet, and picked her up. Spoke to her, told her that since they each had no one, they could be each other's someone.

You know, I suppose, that that was not the end of it. Yachiru did not just walk and speak, and learn to love candy the very next day. Kenpachi, the self-named man had a little girl to raise. This is the story of when Zaraki felt like a dad for the very first time.

He carried the child in his arms for the better part of the day after he'd found her. He didn't rally have a place to call home, and the money he had wouldn't last too much longer. That was what he had been doing out there on that lonely road. Looking for work, not bandits, unfortunate tourists, and one very lucky baby. He figured though, that he might be able to collect a fee from the local police for dispatching the bandits that had been plaguing the countryside.

When he reached town, the girl was crying. Not just those silent little tears that say 'I've lost my third favorite doll,' but the loud 'my life is ending' kind that made strangers take too much notice. Kenpachi tried to shush the child when he noticed something else. She was _wet_. His nose crinkled, he had no knowledge of children in general. What he knew about babies could be summed up with the fact that he enjoyed trying to make them.

After realizing that the crying and wetness was accompanied with smells, he began to rethink this whole parenthood idea. Abandoned and orphaned children were actually somewhat normal in the sixty-eighth district. The least a person could do was offer to help anyone who would help a child. He knew he would have to pay for it. With a weary sigh, he trudged back to the boarding house where he'd been staying.

The front of the establishment was noisy, and full of people. Men were drinking, and women standing around waiting for them to stop. There were fights and games of chance running all around the common area, with a lone female playing a battered old piano. Kenpachi smiled in the face of the clamor and approached the only prostitute in the place that smiled warmly for him. Her name, when she admitted to one, was Hanako.

"Evenin' Hanako, you got some time?"

"For you? Of…" she paused, her neck craning toward the sound of Yachiru's whimpers, "You pickin' up strays, big guy? She's a little young yet, but just a few more years you can sell her. Why, I think she'll fetch a pretty…"

Kenpachi grabbed the front of her threadbare kimono, and pulled her close. "I wouldn't dream of paying you to think, Hanako. The kid needs help. You know how to take care of them?"

The woman's eyes skittered away from his angry look, "Sure, yes, I can help. But, Jun-sama won't let me go even for my own children."

Kenpachi released the woman, "I'll pay for you like always." She nodded and motioned the large man up to her room. Kenpachi grumbled, it looked like he would need to lay out some more money to rent another private room. Opening the door, he gestured at the bed; it was the only surface in the room large enough to sit on. "What do I need to know to take care of her?"

The painted lady smiled at Yachiru's crying face, "First, what's her name?"

"I'm calling her Yachiru. She was the only survivor after I killed the bandits."

She smiled at the child who was gradually quieting, as if she had realized she wasn't going to be undergoing slow torture much longer. "That's a pretty name. You figure out your name yet?" The woman pulled Yachiru's clothing apart, revealing a very soggy diaper.

"Kenpachi, it's the name given to the strongest Soul Reapers of their time. I've decided that's what I want to do, earn the name Kenpachi."

"That's a good goal, especially if you want to continue to support a child," Hanako tickled Yachiru's ribs, eliciting a tired giggle. "This is a diaper," she pointed at the cloth wound around the baby's middle, "and this one is very wet. Babies don't like to be wet. You're going to have to buy some more of them. This kimono is ruined; she'll need new clothes as well." She took off the offensive diaper, and rolled it tightly to drop on the floor. "I can use her kimono to make a diaper for now, but you'll need more, and soon."

A frown formed on Kenpachi's face, "Who's here tonight? I need to make some easy coin."

"Kuroma-san is here, he loves to watch you fight."

He counted out a stack of coins, "Can I buy you for a few hours?"

"I'll watch the little one, Kenpachi-san." Hanako lifted the now sleepily blinking child to her shoulder, "Make sure you bring back food. And milk, if you can find some. She'll thrive if you can keep her healthy."

Kenpachi nodded, and with a smile looked down into his new daughter's sweet little face. He stood and walked out of the room, he had work to do if he was going to be a good father to the kid.

It is a fantastic story. If I hadn't seen the truth of it, I would be hard pressed to believe it, too.

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AN/** Ahh, we finally hit the finish line. Again, my thanks go out to my very patient beta, Hasty. And to eelgirl who asked for this. Finally, to my own son, who inspired this story. Not that he was adopted or anything, but I think any new parent is filled with the same feeling of helplessness Kenpachi was feeling. Reviews are nice. Be nice.


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